Cavanacor House is situated one kilometre
outside Lifford, on the road to
Letterkenny.
It is one of the earliest Plantation houses in Donegal and has been in continuous
occupation since the
17th century.
Protestant armies amassed on the flat plains at
Cavanacor prior to the Siege of Derry and on 20th of April, 1689 James II
dined at Cavanacor House during the Siege. Due to his protection the House survived his retreat from Derry.
Ironically, while King James was dining at Cavanacor with John Keyes,
Thomas and
Frederick Keyes, his host's brothers, were inside Derry’s Walls, defending it against King James’ Army.
In the 1690's Magdalene Tasker,
(who was born at Cavanacor in 1634) married Capt. Robert Bruce Pollock. They and their
children
emigrated to America and settled in Somerset County in Maryland. In
America the family shortened their name to Polk. James Knox
Polk (born 1795), great,
great, great grandson of Magdalene Tasker Polk, became the 11th American President in
1845 and held the Presidency until his death in 1849.

On July 3rd, 1823 Mary Keyes married Benjamin Geale Humfrey and Cavanacor House was in the
possession of the Humfrey family until the 20th Century when it came into the possession of a
Ms Clarke. In the 1960's Dr. Kathleen and Miss Ethel Snodgrass bought Cavanacor from Ms Clark and
lived there for approximately 10 years during which they restored and maintained the house and grounds before turning the property over to the present owners,
artists Eddie and Joanna O’Kane some twenty-five years ago. The O'Kanes have
furnished the house with Jacobean and Georgian furniture.
As working artists they have developed a thriving artistic
centre at Cavanacor where pottery,
sculpture and painting workshops are conducted. There is also a fine art
gallery at Cavanacor.
The House has a commanding view of the River Deele and is
encircled by parkland and
woodland walks. The House and gallery are open to the public at Easter and
throughout the Summer. There is also
a tea-room and craft shop with Cavanacor pottery and crafts from throughout Donegal.
For further information email Cavanacor Gallery
or tel: (+353) 74 9141143.